CUP: Despain Reacts To Kenseth, Roush Announcement

Sprint Cup

CUP: Despain Reacts To Kenseth, Roush Announcement

Matt Kenseth and Roush Fenway Racing will go their separate ways at the end of the season...

Dave Despain | Posted June 27, 2012 Charlotte, NC

Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain is celebrating its 10th anniversary on SPEED in 2012. (Photo: SPEED)

REACTION TO KENSETH AND ROUSH FENWAY RACING PARTING WAYS IN 2013

Roush Fenway Racing officially announced Tuesday that current points leader and 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth will leave the organization at the conclusion of the season, and will be replaced in the No. 17 Ford by defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.

Below, Dave Despain, host of “Wind Tunnel” on SPEED, offers his perspective on this situation:

“I suspect Kenseth leaving will have absolutely zero impact on his or the team’s efforts to win the championship. When you’ve been together as long as Kenseth and Roush have, you learn each other’s good and bad points. He and Roush both are racers and racers are there for one thing – to win – and this will not impact their bid to win the championship.

“I think it’s safe to assume that breaking up a marriage that has lasted as long as this one probably is a reflection of how hard the economy has hit this sport. The underlying factor at work here has to be sponsorship at some level and not friction between the driver and owner.

“However, in the long run, this will be good for Roush because he’s putting a young, rising star in the seat. Short-term, it’s not good to lose a driver of Kenseth’s stature and current performance level, but in terms of building his team for the future, this is real good for Roush.

“Despite what may be behind Kenseth’s departure, trading the championship points leader for a rookie is a trade down. Over the long haul, though, it’s beneficial for Roush because they can put their next big star in the big show and begin grooming him while they still have two legitimate title contenders in the mix."
--Dave Despain, host of Wind Tunnel

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Dave Despain

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